It Could Be Worse
by mydoctortennant
Summary: Owen Harper died aged 27. Or did he? Owen/Tosh. Jack/Ianto
1. He Could Be Dead

Title: It Could Be Worse (Chapter 1/

**Title:** It Could Be Worse (Chapter 1/?)

**Chapter Title:** He could be dead

**Pairing/Characters:** Owen/Tosh _(Rest of gang)_  
**Ratings/Warnings:** PG-13 (currently)

**Spoilers:** Series 2 (more so Reset onwards)  
**Word Count:** 1856

**Author Notes:** My take on what may have happened have Owen NOT died  
**Summary:** Owen Harper, Torchwood worker 565. Died aged 27. Or did he?  
**Disclaimer:** _I do not own Torchwood, Owen, Toshiko, or any of the characters. I am not pretending as such. I am not making money or anything out of this._

They'd waltzed their way – the way they always do – out of the building back towards the big black SUV. Jack opened the door with a smile for Martha, helping her into the seat. She was still a little shaky after the whole ordeal, but overall had come out on top. Tosh was ready to jump in after her and Gwen was making her own way around to the other side of the vehicle. Owen was ready to get into the driver's seat as the voice of the infamous doctor sounded behind him.

"Did you really think I was going to let you just walk away?" Owen shut the door again, turning his arms out in front of him, shielding Tosh who was now behind him. "You've ruined everything I've worked for."

"Now, let's not be stupid," Owen spoke with a confidence that he wasn't quite sure he had. Casting his gaze quickly over his shoulder, he positioned himself fully in front of the Japanese woman behind him, "We're both rational men. Scientists." Now his gaze was firmly on the gun that was pointing at his chest. Never a good sign he had to admit. "I know you don't wanna shoot that."

Too late. Doctor Copley had already pressed the trigger. The shot echoed through the air around them, and with a cry of immense pain, Doctor Owen Harper, fell, with little grace, to the floor.

Before any of the team could act, Jack emptied a single bullet into the head of the now deceased Doctor Copley. They were now all at Owen's side, Martha back out of the SUV ignoring any of the pain she was in. She was back in doctor mode.

"Owen talk to me!" she demanded, ripping the shirt from his chest and using the sleeve of the garment to stop the bleeding. "Listen to me! You're going to be all right, okay?"

"Yeah, bloody brilliant!" he seethed through gritted teeth. The pain in itself was bearable. He'd been shot in the shoulder before - the year previous by their own precious Ianto Jones.

"It could be worse," Martha continued, opening the medi-pack that had just been placed at her side. She made quick work of removing the bullet before asking a violently shaking Tosh if she could hold on the now blood-soaked shirt sleeve. Tosh curtly nodded, leaning over his body slightly to reach as Martha went to work on a dressing to put in place before strapping him into the SUV.

"What you shaking for?" he asked breezily as a shot man could, smirking up at Tosh before wincing in pain as Martha injected one final drug (an antibiotic of sorts) into the wounded area.

x x x

Owen was sat up in his own autopsy area being sewn up by the current resident doctor. It wasn't that he didn't like Martha – he did. But if she even attempted to take his job because he was far too prone to being shot to be much use – then he would complain. A lot.

He'd joked and flirted – just like he had told Tosh he would still do. But then when he really thought about it, he didn't want to do that to Tosh. He had treated her like crap for the past three or more years. Now was not the time to continue with that.

"_What happened to that pool tournament you were organising?"_ he had even opened the topic. He wasn't completely stupid, of course not. He had had women ask him out before. After all, he wasn't a complete social, reject.

"_That? It was never a tournament."_ Which only really backed up his theory.

"_So what was all that about then?"_ like he didn't know. He really did play her like a fool. He was a complete and utter bastard. Why did she even want to be with him?

"_It was supposed to be a date,"_ she had sounded exasperated. She didn't want to admit to it, but now what choice did she have? None by the sounds of it.

"_Sorry?"_ so it wasn't like he hadn't realised that she was asking him out, it was more the fact that she had just found the confidence to tell him as much. Toshiko Sato after all, had never been a very confident person.

"_I was asking you out on a date,"_ her voice even went an octave higher when she said the word. It really was quite the adorable moment. One he would never see again if he kept acting like the twat he had after that.

"_A __date?"_ he played her still. Why did he always have to do that?

"_You didn't realise?"_ Of course he had.

"_You and me?"_ It wasn't like he hadn't contemplated it before. But if he had tried anything Jack would probably have had his guts for garters. Gwen was emotionally stronger than Tosh. So Jack thought. Goes to show how much the boss really knows.

"_Yeah."_

"_I see, and you still want that?"_ If she had said 'No' then he didn't really know what he would have done. Rejected by a geek. Not exactly his reputation.

"_Yeah."_

"_Right,"_ It was the most confusing thing in the world. But then Tosh was the most confusing woman in the world. No matter what he did to her, she stuck by him. He'd never met anybody like that before her.

"_I just thought; if we spent some time together. An evening-"_

"_Alright." _He agreed. It wasn't the usual 'he felt obligated to agree so did' he actually mentally and physically wanted to. He enjoyed Tosh's company and they had always gone out with drinks - life before Gwen - so why not try it, this time for real?

"_Sorry?"_ She actually had sounded astounded that he had said yes. Was he really that bad a person that she couldn't believe that he was capable of doing a nice thing?

"_Let's do it."_

"_Are you being sarcastic?"_

"_No,"_ it had been Owen's turn to trip on his words then. It nearly didn't come out. But he honestly wasn't being sarcastic. He wanted this. He realised that now.

"_You're being polite. You'll stand me up."_ Was that really what she thought of him? He questioned himself and his own personal actions then. Maybe it was how he had been perceived by the gang. That was something he wanted to change.

"_I just said yes alright."_ He didn't want her to doubt him, not after all this time, dancing around each other. _"One date. See how it goes. Which might be nowhere."_

"_Okay, a drink!"_

"_Okay! And I'm gonna keep flirting. Just because of this,"_ what did he mean by that exactly? Them as in us as in couple them. Or because of the date? _"Doesn't mean I'm going to stop flirting."_

"_You can be King of Flirts."_

"_Okay."_ And that was it. Matter settled. Back to work they went. He stared over the autopsy room and smiled to himself slightly. Forgetting that Martha was there stitching up his latest GSW.

"Owen?" Martha question prodding him gently on the side of his arm so not to cause him any further pain. "You all right?"

"Me? Yeah I'm fine. Better than fine. I'm amazing!"

"That you are." It was a small voice coming from the archway that joined the main Hub area with Owen's 'hideout'. He looked up to the source of it and smiled. He couldn't help himself. Martha just seemed to disappear. Not that Owen was being rude and ignoring her – well he was, but that wasn't the reason - she hot-tailed it out of there. She could see that there were some matters that needed settling and left Owen to it.

X x x

Tosh had seen Aliens take over London; hell she had done the autopsy on the supposedly dead Pig. The Alien Pig, that wasn't an alien and was in fact just a pig. That's what the enigmatic man had told her. The Doctor he had said his name was. Doctor Who?

So Doctor Sato came into play. She picked up the needle and finished up what remained of the stitches.

"If you wanted to play doctors and nurses, Tosh, you could have just said," he joked as she pushed the needle hard into his tender skin, "Owh!"

"Did that hurt?"

"Yes!"

"Good," she pulled the thread through gently and began to tie off. "It's been a while since I've done that. You already had my status as medical doctor when I arrived. So I took up residence as Mathematic Geek."

"More like computer genius. And besides, you didn't do that bad a job for somebody who's a little rusty." She raised her eyebrows at his remark and jabbed at his flesh wound.

"I'll show you whose bloody rusty!" she laughed lightly as she took the white gauze to his shoulder, "Hold please," he did as he was told and she began to microspore tape it to his skin.

"I came equipped readily with a white coat. That's why I get to play doctor."

"I have a white coat!" she argued as she stuck the final piece of tape down firmly.

"You've never bloody worn it," he argued back – just like old times.

"You already had one, so I didn't see the point in getting mine out only to put it away again. It's deep in the midst of my locker."

"Well then I suggest you go and get it if you intend on continuing this charade."

"Who said I intended on continuing it?" They hadn't even had this date of there's yet and things were already appearing to be playing out for the better. He raised his eyebrows and smiled coyly up at her.

X x x

Owen had swung his legs over the edge of the table by the time Jack appeared. He hadn't noticed the older mans presence until he heard the familiar American drawl.

"I thought I'd better wait until I saw Toshiko leave before I came down," Owen glanced over his shoulder at his boss and continued to fiddle with the buttons on his shirt, doing them up on by one.

"And why's that?" he asked snarkily.

"We're Torchwood, not deaf Owen. Seriously, next time the pair of you arrange to go on a date, don't do it so publicly if you don't want us to know." Owen rolled his eyes as he stood up off of the gurney and levelled up to the military man.

"It's none of your business what we get up to outside of work Jack."

"No, but it is my business if it starts effecting your work." The Captain stated in reply, "You hurt her Owen and there will be hell to pay. Understood?" the warning tone in Jack's voice was not one to be messed with.

"Yes Boss," he saluted with a slight mock before ascending the steps out of the big white room, "Anything else before I go and 'ruin' Tosh's life?"

"No, that's everything. But if you go into this with the intention of ruining her life – I suggest you stop right there."


	2. The Weevils Could Have Gotten Him

Title: It Could Be Worse (Chapter 2/

**Title:** It Could Be Worse (Chapter 2/?)

**Chapter Title:** The Weevils could have gotten him.

**Pairing/Characters:** Owen/Tosh _(Rest of gang)_  
**Ratings/Warnings:** PG-13 (currently)

**Spoilers:** Series 2 (more so 'Reset' onwards)  
**Word Count:** 1587

**Author Notes:** My take on what may have happened have Owen NOT died  
**Summary:** Owen Harper, Torchwood worker 565. Died aged 27. Or did he?  
**Disclaimer:** _I do not own Torchwood, Owen, Toshiko, or any of the characters. I am not pretending as such. I am not making money or anything out of this._

Soon after Owen had left Jack in the Autopsy Bay he went to find Martha. He thanked her for her work, flirted a little and left it at that. She'd thanked him to, they were equal. He'd saved her, and she him. Neither owed the other anything.

After that he went to see where it was Tosh had actually disappeared to. On his way he was intercepted by Gwen. She was still a little flustered by the whole thing. Couldn't quite believe he'd nearly died. He'd swiftly replied that it took 'more than a bullet to stop Owen Harper'. Having been shot three times now in the last year he was fairing pretty well – so he thought anyway.

He'd gotten away from Gwen rather swiftly, and walked pasted her workstation into the vaults. No Tosh. He came back up again, scanned the main area surrounding the water tower, saw Jack glaring out of his office at him. He then swiftly turned on his heal and went to the kitchen, the lockers, the board room. No Tosh. Not anywhere.

"I think you'll find she's gone," the Welshman said from behind him.

"Gone where?" Owen asked rather irritated.

"She just said that she would be back later and not to worry about her."

"Righ-" Owen didn't get half the chance to finish his ever riding argument with the archivist. Jack had hollered his name at the top of his lungs. "Yes, Jack?"

"Get here, now!"

x x x

If there was one thing Owen wished he never did, it was obey Jack's orders. Jack's orders had him shot, and nearly killed on a number of occasions. But the man was his boss and if he didn't do what he said, the last four years of his existence would fail to be recalled to his short term memory.

Owen stopped the SUV outside the church of St Mary's, derelict, and abandon of human nature, full of Weevils. Jack had sent him and Gwen along on the little field trip. A year ago he would have wanted it that way, but a lot can change in a year. Even in a day at Torchwood. No day was ever the same.

"Jack we're here," he heard Gwen say into her comm. "There doesn't appear to be anything on the exterior of the building, we'll take a look on the inside."

"No shit Sherlock," Owen mumbled as he grabbed his torch and gun from the side compartment – mainly kept there so he didn't shoot himself again in transit.

"Owen," Jack barked at him over the comm., "First sign of trouble and you get out of there you hear? You're already injured."

"So remind me why it's not Ianto doing this instead of me?"

"He's got other things to be doing,"

"What like you?" Jack said nothing and the comms muted. Gwen merely glared at him and continued into the building. Gun and torch held at eye level. Owen did the same.

What met his eyes was something quite out of the ordinary. Definitely not what he had been expecting. He's expected a couple of Weevils, not too much of a problem. But this? There had to be at least thirty if not forty Weevils in the main hall alone. God knew how many more there was.

"What's the situation?" came the only other female member of the team's voice.

"Bloody infestation of the buggers!" Owen muttered under his breath so not to disturb them. "I don't know what you expect us to do exactly, but we can hardly take down a single Weevil on our own, let alone an army."

It was at that moment in time that Gwen decided to knock something off of the organ, it clanged to the floor ad made such a momentous noise it practically forced Owen out of his skin.

"Shit!" She exclaimed at the top of her lungs.

"What was that? What happened?" Jack called for a reply before anything else happened.

"Gwen decided to have a party," Owen glared at her, "Only, the food is currently Torchwood shaped!" Weevils were already beginning to shift and rise from there lying positions.

"Get out of there, now!" Jack growled over the comms. Gwen had already turned and ran out of the church. Owen hot on her heels. He drove himself out of door, just as a Weevil ran after him in hot pursuit. The Londoner fell.

"Bullocks!" he cried out clutching his shoulder. He'd pulled his stitches during his plummet. It was then that he saw it. An iron clad box. About the length of his forearm. The symbol on the side of the lock was one that he recognised. Quickly, grabbing the box he found his way to his feet and bounded towards the SUV out of the churches large oak doors.

Gwen was leaning against the side of the SUV. Was she thick?

"Get in the bloody SUV!" Owen shouted as he dove into the driver's side, wining in pain as his back whacked onto the car seat. Fumbling with the keys, he pushed the key into the ignition and turned the car on. Crunching his foot onto the clutch he forcibly shoved the gear stick into first and pulled off. Gwen barely in the car.

X x x

"We tried Jack!" Gwen argued, there was little point. She'd have to deal with it one day, Jack had Ianto, she had Rhys she wouldn't be favourite forever.

"Besides I think I've found something far more interesting," Owen felt his input would have been better received than it was. Jack told him promptly to shut up and Gwen glared at him. He mouthed a 'What?' at her and continued driving. If they didn't want to hear about it then he wouldn't bother telling.

The rest of the journey was silent. Getting back to the Hub was priority and the sooner that happened the better. Well, maybe. Jack wasn't going to be in a good mood.

X x x

"You can be a complete prick, you know that?" Gwen shouted as her and Jack had there weekly stand off about who was right. It was a common occurrence since he'd abandoned them.

"So what, we screwed up! You sent us into a church full of fucking Weevils! How the hell did you expect us to manage with two of us!"

Ianto was sat at the boardroom table just watching the rally like a tennis match. Tosh hadn't even bothered to show up and was busy measuring rift activity. That's what she said anyway. Martha was, well, Owen didn't know. But she wasn't there.

Owen thought about saying where he was going, but he'd only get sworn at and told to be quiet – in not such a nice manner either – so he saw no point in saying anything at all. He stood up quietly and departed the room.

"Anything interesting?" He asked as he came down the stairs from the boardroom.

"Not particularly," she even sounded bored. It must have been bad; she was never bored at work.

"You wanna coffee?"

"Not if you're making it." Ouch. He wasn't that bad at making coffee. Granted life before Ianto when they had all taken turns at making the coffee the liquid had never tasted quiet good, but Owen wasn't the worst. Jack held that title firmly under his belt.

"I'll see if Ianto left a pot on, all else fails 24-hour café?"

"Sounds like a plan."

X x x

Fifteen minutes later Tosh and Owen sat with two not so crappy coffee in front of them, under the hazy yellow lights of the run down coffee shop that though 24-hours was a good idea. The amount of customers they got must have made things worth it. They paid their night staff to complete clean anything and everything. They even put up and took down the Christmas decorations. How did Owen know? Him and Tosh had seen it on one of those pre-Ianto nights when al they wanted was either a decent cup of coffee or their beds. And since the latter was out of the question they'd gone for the former.

"I found another glove," Owen mentioned as he lifted his cup to his lips blowing on the hot liquid in a feebler attempt to cool it.

"Glove? You found one before?" Tosh asked, the confusion written all over her face.

"You know Ianto was always saying 'Gloves come in pairs' well I found the other one." Tosh's eyes went wide.

"Why didn't you say anything to Jack?" Tosh asked before taking a sip of her frankly scorching coffee.

"He was too busy paying more attention to arguing with Gwen. I tried. I mentioned in when me and Gwen were on our way back to the Hub, he just told me to shut up!" Owen defended himself.

"I suppose." Tosh was rubbing her temples, it had been an extraordinarily long day, and it wasn't about to end any time soon. With Jack and Gwen off on one, they'll argument would take time resolving and now with the other glove. She could sense another twenty-four hours on top of the nineteen she had already been awake. "You going to mention it again?"

"I wanna keep my job, Tosh. And I mentioned it to you didn't I?"

"You trust me." She spoon about three more sugars into her already highly sweet coffee. She wanted to stay awake.

"You implying I don't trust our ever so trustworthy leader?"

"No, but you trust me more."


	3. He Could Have Gotten Possessed

Title: It Could Be Worse (Chapter 3/

**Title:** It Could Be Worse (Chapter 3/?)

**Chapter Title: **He could have gotten possessed

**Pairing/Characters:** Owen/Tosh _(Rest of gang)_  
**Ratings/Warnings:** PG-13 (currently)

**Spoilers:** Series 2 (more so 'Reset' onwards)  
**Word Count:** 1343

**Author Notes:** My take on what may have happened have Owen NOT died. And now he really is dead – sorry that hit me kinda hard!  
**Summary:** Owen Harper, Torchwood worker 565. Died aged 27. Or did he?  
**Disclaimer:** _I do not own Torchwood, Owen, Toshiko, or any of the characters. I am not pretending as such. I am not making money or anything out of this._

Owen and Tosh had spent a further hour in the comfort of the café. Until it was that Jack had noticed they were gone and called them back in.

"What's the odds of him shouting at me for leaving, but ignoring the fact that you're with me?"

"About 1-2."

"See, I'd even lose money if I bet on it. How unfair is that!" Owen complained as they stood on the 'Invisible Lift' and began their decent.

"Owen!" the American's call came as they reach about half the way down the 'flight' pattern. "You've got work to be doing! Toshiko – a word." Her ordered. Owen was a little confused to why his head was not currently being served on a platter for Janet's dinner – his other fleshier limbs being fed to Myfanwy by Ianto.

X x x

"Yes, Jack?" Tosh enquired as she stuck her head round the door frame of his office.

"Come in, sit down." Jack was sat behind his desk, leaning on his elbows pressing his two thumbs against his lips. Tosh did as she was told shutting the door behind her. Something told her Jack wouldn't want Owen hearing this, and with his work station right next to the Captain's office keeping the door open would not be a good idea.

"If your gunna tell me that Owen's using me, or he's gunna end up hurting me Jack, don't bother." Jack raised his eyebrows at this.

"He told you?"

"Of course he told me. He trusts me Jack, far more than he trusts any of you. Which is why I guess you seem to think that he's going to end up hurting me."

"You know what he's like,"

"And I know why he's like it. I know he's scared that he's going to lose me, especially after he lost Katie. But he's grown up. He's not the man he was a year ago. You leaving forced us all to change Jack."

Jack could see that. A year ago, Tosh would not have said boo to a goose. Worn her heart on her sleeve or done anything to support Owen against Jack. Now however she was. He remained silent.

"You honestly think he's changed _that_ much?"

"Yes, Jack, I do. I've seen him in action, I've seen him deal with situations. Do you honestly think a year ago he would have put his life on the line to save the rest of us?"

"That was reckless and stu-"

"No, Jack, it wasn't. It got him shot, he could have died. But he didn't think twice about doing it for the rest of us!"

"It's the same old Owen though isn't it. Not thinking about his actions before he does them."

"Saving five other people. Though some of us don't need _saving_!" she finished aiming it at Jack. If Jack had been in the position Owen was, then it all would have been okay. Owen wouldn't have even been on the verge of death – he'd not have been shot.

With that Tosh up and turned on her heel and exited the office heading straight to her desk, without even a glance in Owen's direction.

X x x

A niggling feeling in the back of Owen's mind told him to mention the glove. But he didn't know if he could do it. He knew that he should – hell Jack would murder him if he found out about it – they probably bring him back for the code to the morgue if anything – the guy was an ass like that.

He carried on writing up his report on what was it? A mayfly? A freaking mayfly! That nearly killed Martha – Reset they'd called it. He shook his head – sure it would be possible one but now? In this day and age, you had to be joking. It wouldn't be possible for another hundred years if that. And if it came about in this day and age – it would be Owen who made it – not some crack pot who was at the end of his life.

"You going to tell him?" he heard Tosh tell him from her desk.

"I don't know, Tosh. He seems to hate me at the moment."

"He'll hate you more if you don't tell him."

"Tell me what?"

x x x

Five minutes later Owen and Tosh stood in Jacks office opposite him across his desk. Like two naughty children caught drawing in crayola crayon all over the walls and the nice table.

"look, I was going to say something,"

"When was that Owen?" Jack bit before he had the chance to explain, "When somebody else on the team died? Or when you thought it was a good time to bring somebody back to life for kicks!"

"That's not fair," Owen started, "I'm not the one who was arguing with copper dearest and ignoring the rest of my team when they were going to tell me something important!" Owen rounded on his heel and left. Tosh looked at Jack for a second longer before her too turning to leave behind him.

"Be careful, Toshiko."

"Forget it, Jack!"

xxx

Ianto entered Jack's office as the Captain pushed the new glove into the safe. Rhia Silver. Something Ianto would never forget – a password they had used against Jack. He imagined that now it had been changed. Unless Jack wanted another coup in the zoo they liked to call Torchwood.

"Do you think she's making a mistake?"

"Who is 'she', sir?" Ianto asked placing a cup of coffee on Jack's desk. Leaning against the far side.

"Toshiko. Who else?" He asked shutting the doors to the safe and making his way over to his chair. His eyes following Jack, Ianto turned as he past and leaning on his knuckles on the desk in front of him.

"I think she's doing what is right by her. And I don't think he's going to mess her about. If that's what you mean."

"That's exactly what I mean, but I don't agree."

"Just let them be, sir. And if it does go wrong, we'll deal with it then. And only then will we think negatively of it. Now can you please be happy that they finally saw the bloody flickering light that I've wanted to change the bulb for so bloody long!"

"Odd analogy."

"It was on, it was off, it was blinking it was from Owen it was from Tosh. I just wanted it to either stay off or stay on. Now it looks like it might I don't want to disturb the peace."

"Now you've done it." Jack joked. Now the positive comments were coming out it was bound to be doomed.

"Have some confidence, sir." A small smile reached Ianto's features – he wanted this to work, he couldn't bear see Tosh have to bit back again. Not after so long – and he had only been there for 21 months.

"Can we stop with the 'sir' now?"

"Have a good night," Ianto turned on his heel and closed the door behind him adding a quite 'sir' as he did so. Jack rolled his eyes and began to fiddle meaningfully with the papers on his desk.

xxx

"After you left me in the Autopsy bay…" Owen started as they both left for the night. Walking slowly towards their two cars.

"Yes, Owen?"

"Ianto said you went somewhere?"

"I went to clear my head. A lot had happened you know. I just needed to vent without other people around," she explained as her car came into view next to the SUV.

"I guess I just wanted to say: I'm here." Tosh smiled at him and reached into her small handbag for her keys.

"Thanks, Owen. And I know."

"Any time. I mean it."

"I know. I'll see you tomorrow." She uttered as he too reached for his keys and clicked the button to open his car from ten metres away.

"Pick you up about seven thirty?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll see you then." With one final smile she sat in her car, started the engine and drove away.


End file.
